What's Your Next-Door Neighbor Story?

Creepshow

For 12 years I rented a 3 bedroom 1-story house in Granada Hills. The duplex next door was owned by an elderly lady and her daughter, who were both very nice. When the lady's health began to fail, she decided to sublet the side of the duplex that was next to us - right outside my kitchen. Her daughter stayed on in the other half. Eventually the one half got rented to a man in his late thirties who I hardly ever saw, other than briefly as he left for work every weekday morning.

One warm Saturday morning as I trimmed the roses in my front yard, he showed up out of nowhere and stood there. Staring. I glanced over; nodded 'hello' and kept trimming. He stood there a while longer, never said a word, then finally went back into his house. It kind of creeped me out, so I went inside and told my husband the new fella was a bit strange. My husband didn't pay much mind - he was planning on driving to his friends' house for some Playstation action. He went ahead and left, and I went into the back yard to lay in the sun. About 30 minutes after I laid down on the lawn-chair, I heard a knock at the front door. My dog began to bark frantically inside the house. "What the...?" I said. I wasn't expecting anyone. My dog never barks, either. I got up and quietly went in so whomever was at the front could not hear me. I tiptoed to the door and peered through the spy-hole...it was the strange neighbor.

My heart began to thump faster. I backed away and went back outside. Silence from inside the house. Suddenly, more knocking. Almost...angry. I began to be truly scared. He'd seen my husband leave, so he knew I was alone. I crept back into the house, quieted my dog who had been launching himself at the door and growling, threw a bathrobe over my bikini, then went into the kitchen to decide what to do. As I stood at the sink, he came around the corner of the house, stopped and stood staring in my window. At me. I ran out of the house and called my husband, who came racing back and violently confronted him.

The man moved soon thereafter. He left behind a collection of rape and bondage porn.

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Have a Next-Door Neighbor Story?

As part of our new webcomic, Next-Door Neighbor, we thought it appropriate to have a little contest. Tell us your best true next-door neighbor story, and the winning tale will be matched with an artist and transformed into a webcomic and included as the final installment of Next-Door Neighbor.

About Next-Door Neighbor

No matter how close or how far, we all live next to someone, and we all have a Next-Door Neighbor story. With that in mind, editor Dean Haspiel asked some of his favorite storytellers and cartoonists to create their favorite NDN stories so we could share them with you.

The Fine Print & Contest Rules

By submitting an entry, you are granting SMITH the right to reprint or republish that entry online or in print, as well as make any necessary edits. See SMITH's terms of service for complete details.

This contest ends September 1, 2008. Prizes are not redeemable for cash and must be accepted as awarded. Winners are decided at the discretion of SMITH judges and all decisions are final. SMITH reserves the right to change the contest rules. Enter as often as you want. SMITH reserves the right to reprint or republish all entries.

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